For artists who have problems with perspective (furniture etc.) in indoor scenes like me – thereās an online programm called roomsketcher where you can design a house/roon and snap pictures of it using different perspectives.
Itās got an almost endless range of furniture, doors, windows, stairs etc and is easy to use. In addition to that, you donāt have to install anything and if you create an account (which is free) you can save and return to your houses.
Hi!! Iāve absolutely been thinking about that, yeah, in fact I recently talked about that to my boyfriend just recently. Itāll likely happen after october!Ā And to answer your second question! I made a thing on legs that i hope youāll find useful!!
So. Iāve already explained basics on legs here, but I donāt think it hurts to go through some extra details to help you understand legs some more.
The very basic thing is to imagine legs as teardrops. Again, this has already been covered in said tutorial above, but I figured itās still good to mention even the most basic thing that I know of. I still highly recommend you check it out to get in more detail and to see some other examples and practices that you do. But basically, think of legs in the shapes of teardrops, when it comes to shape. If you need a simple stick-figure to connect the legs in the first place, make sure that they bend at the knees a bit so that the legs donāt come off as stiff and unnatural.Ā
As you can see, this method works perfectly for realistic legs as it does for stylistic ones. Remember to use these as a guideline, never to be the exactĀ base of the legs you will be drawing. If you draw traditionally, remember not to draw these guides too hard, or they will be hard to erase/do freestyle!
But how do you actually draw out the legs without drawing them perfectly straight, as shown to the left? The trick is to add volume to them, and how you do that can be winged to your own liking. The idea is to think in curves. As no leg is perfectly straight. You may make these curves minimal if you donāt want them to be curvy, but keep in mind, still, that not even your own bones are perfectly straight, so it is highly recommended that you make them bend, at least a little.Ā
It all depends on how you draw them as well. Say you put your legs together, as shown in this picture, what happens to the fat and muscle? Naturally, they press together, much like how thighs squish on the surface when you sit down (Iām sure most people know what Iām talking about). Make sure this shows in your art! This is very important to keep in mind, because it makes it all look more natural and believable. Try to cross your legs or stand up and sit down again for real-life examples!
The same applies for stretching your legs, more or less, except they appear to become moreĀ āhollowā and slimmer. They become less soft to the touch, too, and might show. Try stretching your legs and feel where the muscles tense and where it feelsĀ āhollowā. This is very helpful with your art.
Many leg tutorials talk about legs without mentioning the behind. It requires a tutorial on itās own, in all honesty, but this is the most simplest way to draw it connecting to the legs. Remember that it comes in many different shapes, and this is just a super basic guide! Two circles overlapping, while following the line and flow of the legs. Remember the muscle/fat as mentioned above!
Okay, so we got the basics of leg shapes figured out? What if you want o draw them in a certain pose, or with a certain silhouette, but perhaps do not have the reference for it? Or you want to blend your style into it? The key is to not shy away from doodling the form. Make mess, draw lightly and donāt care about the anatomy. That way youāll get everything down without it appearing stiff. You can clean up the sketch later, always, and if you can, use a reference after you have drawn your pose, to correct your drawing.
Remember that the hips do a lot to the pose of the legs! Make sure they are in flow with your legs, so that it can look more natural. Remembers that hipsĀ ārotateā with the spine.
Iāve talked about this method before when it comes to posing, and the same applies for the legs. One way to make legs appearĀ āsteadyā is to picture them standing in a line, and one of those legs need not to stray from the lines too much, making it steady. If you want a dynamic pose despite the steady pose, you can always have the other leg stray from the line, since it only matters that one leg is steady. This method can create good, casual poses without making them appear boring. (also notice how the teardrop shapes are used here, despite the highly stylized legs)
Do you want a highly dynamic pose, or them to appear unsteady, thenĀ skip the line entirely and make both legs aim away from it completely. As you can see, the legs appear more moving, in action, as if theyāre fighting, falling, or dancing. As you can imagine, this is not a pose that one could stay steady on, suggesting that itās taken mid-movement. More about posing and thisĀ ālineā method is talked about in this tutorial.
Hope this helped you, if you have any questions let me know, and if youād like to check out all my tutorials they can be found here!
I made a thing! I was thinking about this for a few days – because I realized that when I was young, I was also frustrated about being given the same advice over and over – without really knowing what it meant!!
Hereās 5 techniques which I have done before which have helped me grow as an artist, which are good for 5-minute warmups or just straight up challenges for your sketchbook!Ā
Obviously, these are not the ONLY techniques – theyāre just the ones I find most fun! And maybe theyāre not the mostĀ ācorrectā ones out there, but itās better than another comic about practicing more, right?Ā
Good luck to everyone on their drawings!
Honestly, as an artist and illustrator myself, seeing all the posts yelling at newbies to āpracticeā is so frustrating to me. It feels condescending, and would have had me running for the hills in no time if I was just starting out. This is much more helpful.
REAL GOOD POST
Thank you! I will stop sayingĀ āPracticeā by itself now!!!!